C.O. 


SERMON, 


Delivered  May  9,  1798, 


RECOMMENDED,  BY  THE  PRESIDENT  OF  TH! 
UNITED  STATES,  TO  BE  OBSERVED 
AS  A  DAY  OF  GENERAL 


HUMILIATION,  FASTING,  AND  PRAYER. 


By  SAMUEL  MILLER ,  A.  M. 

ONE  OF  THE  MINISTERS  OF  THE  UNITED  PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCHES  IN  THE  CITY  OF  NEW-YORK. 


NE  IF-  YORK: 

PRINTED  BY  T.  AND  J.  SWORDS. 


1798. 


The  following  difcourfe,  haftily  compofed,  is  publifhed  at  the  re- 
queft  of  many  who  heard  it  delivered.  The  author  is  not  accuftomed 
to  carry  political  difcuflion  into  the  pulpit,  nor  to  deliver  his  fenti- 
nients,  in  his  public  miniftrations,  on  feveral  points,  connected  with 
politics,  which  are  glanced  at  in  the  following  pages.  He  fuppofed, 
however,  that  the  occafion  permitted,  and  even  dictated  fome  devia¬ 
tion  from  his  ordinary  habits  in  this  refpedt.  Viewing  the  prefent 
crifis  in  the  point  of  light  which  he  does,  he  could  not  reconcile  it 
either  with  religion  or  with  patriotifm  to  be  wholly  filent  on  the 
fubjedl.  It  appears,  by  the  refult,  that  fome  of  his  friends  concur 
with  him  in  opinion;  and  hoping,  as  they  have  been  pleafed  to  fug- 
geft,  that  the  publication  may  poflibly  do  fome  good  in  the  fmall 
fphere  in  which  it  may  circulate,  he  has  fuffered  himfelf  to  be  pre¬ 
vailed  on  to  commit  it  to  the  prefs. 

NirvYork,  May  II,  1 79 8) 


t 


A  SERMON,  &c. 


2  Timothy  iii.  i. 

This  know  alfo ,  that  in  the  lajl  days  perilous  times 

Jhall  come. 


T  O  notice  the  difpenfations  of  Providence, 
to  examine  their  connexion,  and  to  trace,  as 
far  as  pofiible,  their  defign,  are  among  the  moft 
important  duties  of  man.  Through  the  me¬ 
dium  of  thefe  difpenfations  God  exhibits  his 
own  glories  and  our  duty  to  us;  and,  of  courfe, 
to  negledt  them  is  to  incur  the  character  and  the 
guilt  of  thofe  who  do  not  regard  his  work ,  nei¬ 
ther  conjider  the  operations  of  his  hands.  Thus, 
when  the  Pharifees  and  Sadducees  came  to  (Thrift, 
tempting  him,  and  defiring  that  he  would  fhew 
them  a  fign  from  heaven,  he  faid  unto  them — ■ 
0  ye  hypocrites !  ye  can  difcern  the  face  of  the  Jky , 


6 


but  can  ye  not  difcern  the  figns  of  the  times  ?  As 
if  he  had  faid,  “  You  attend  with  diligence  and 
“  care  to  the  fymptoms  of  the  weather,  and  have 
“  acquired  confiderable  fkill  in  predicting  its 
tc  changes;  but  how  comes  it  to  pafs  that  you 
“  have  fo  little  tade  for  dudying  the  Providence 
“  of  God,  and  marking  the  progrefs  of  his  king- 
“  dom  in  the  world?” 

The  ignorant  and  unthinking  are  (truck  with 
prefent  objeCts  only.  They  neither  look  back 
on  the  pad,  nor  extend  their  views  forward  to. 
the  future.  They  contemplate  the  mod  dupen- 
dous  fcenes  in  human  life,  as  they  contemplate 
puppet-diew  exhibitions,  without  inquiring  who 
is  the  prime  mover,  how  far  they  may  be  con¬ 
nected  with  preceding ,  circumdances,  or  what 
influence  they  may  have  on  futurity.  To  fuch 
the  ledons  of  experience  are  of  no  avail,  becaufe 
they  never  commit  them  to  memory : — to  fuch 
every  event  is  new  and  unexpected,  becaufe  they 
have  taken  no  pains  to  decypher  the  intima¬ 
tions  of  Providence,  nor  to  dudy  that  great 
chain  of  caufes  and  effeCts  which  runs  through 
the  moral,  as  well  as  the  material  world.  But 
the  wife  and  difcerning  contemplate  the  objeCts 
which  pafs  before  them  with  a  very  different  eye. 
They  fee  the  hand  of  God  in  every  occurrence. 


7 


They  retrace  the  divine  proceedings  in  days  of 
old.  And  they  fuffer  no  intimations  of  what  is 
to  take  place  in  time  to  come,  to  pafs  unheeded. 
Thus  they  grow  wifer  and  better  by  every  mean 
of  inftrudion. 

Perhaps  among  all  the  modes  of  noticing  the 
difpenfations  of  Providence,  and  difcerning  the 
figns  of  the  times,  there  is  none  more  intereft- 
ing,  or  more  plainly  incumbent  upon  us,  than 
comparing  the  courie  of  human  affairs  with  the 
predidions  of  God’s  word.  For  this  purpofe,  no 
doubt,  among  others,  were  the  prophetic  parts  of 
fcripture  given  to  us ;  and  we  evidently  negled 
our  duty,  when  we  neglect  to  ftudy  them,  and 
inquire  into  their  fulfilment.  It  is  true,  indeed, 
nothing  is  more  common  than  to  miftake  in 
fiich  inveftigations.  But  thefe  miftakes,  fo  far 
from  difcouraging  this  fpecies  of  ftudy,  fhould 
rather  excite  us  to  purfue  it  with  greater  dili¬ 
gence  ; — and  while  they  guard  us  againft  hafty 
decifions  and  politive  modes  of  fpeaking  on  the 
fubjed,  they  fhould  ftimulate  us  to  new  zeal,* 
and  more  perfevering  induftry  in  fearching  after 
the  meaning  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

The  words  before  us  are  a  prophecy.  They 
were  intended  to  warn  the  church  of  what  was 
to  befal  her  in  the  laft  days — to  apprife  her  of 


s 


the  troubles  and  trials  which  fhe  fhould  be  called 
to  endure.  God  has  been  gracioufly  pleafed, 
at  [undry  times ,  and  in  divers  manners ,  from  the 
beginning,  to  favour  his  people  with  fuch  premo¬ 
nitory  intimations  of  approaching  evil,  that  it 
might  not  come  upon  them  unawares,  but  that 
they  might  be  looking  and  preparing  beforehand 
for  its  arrival. 

In  confidering  this  patTage  of  fcripture,  and  in 
applying  it  to  the  occafion  on  which  we  are  con¬ 
vened,  three  objects  of  inquiry  he  before  us,  viz. 

I.  What  period  is  defignated  by  the  expref- 
fion,  the  laji  days  ? 

II.  What  is  to  be  the  character  of  thefe 
days?  And, 

III.  With  what  temper  fhould  we  look  for¬ 
ward  to  the  fulfilment  of  this  predi&ion  ? 

I.  The  firft  inquiry,  then,  which  claims  our 
attention  is — what  period  is  defignated  by  the 
expreffion,  the  laji  days  ?  The  moft  approved 
commentators,  with  few  exceptions,  underhand 
thefe  words  as  pointing  out  the  times  which 
(hall  immediately  precede  the  commencement 
of  that  happy  period  ufually  denominated  the 
Millennium.  The  expreffion  is,  no  doubt,  fome- 
times  ufed  in  fcripture  in  a  much  more  extern 
five  fenfe,  even  to  figmfy  the  whole  tra<ft  of  time 


9 


which  Ihould  elapfe  between  the  firft  and  fecond 
coming  of  the  Redeemer.  It  feems,  however, 
to  have  a  more  reftri&ed  meaning  in  the  cafe 
under  confideration,  and  to  refer,  efpecially,  to 
thofe  interefting  days,  when  the  whole  moral  and 
political  creation  lhall  groan  earnejily ,  expe&ing 
the  manifeflation  of  the  Redeemer’s  power  and 
grace  with  more  awful  folemnity,  and  with 
brighter  glory  than  ever  they  have  been  exhibit*, 
ed  before. 

,  That  there  is  yet  to  come  a  time  of  extraordi¬ 

nary  profperity  and  happinefs  to  the  church  of 
Chrift  upon  earth — a  time  when  he  zvhofe  right  it 
is  J hall  take  to  himfelf  his  great  power  and  reign , 
and  when  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  Jhall  become 
the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Chrift  is  an 
opinion  fo  generally  received  among  chriftians, 
that  I  lhall,  at  prefent,  take  it  for  granted.  The 
declarations  of  fcripture  on  which  this  general 
belief  is  founded,  are  fo  numerous  and  fo  une¬ 
quivocal,  that  I  fee  not  how  they  admit  of  doubt 
or  evafion  by  thofe  who  acknowledge  their  divine 
authority. 

When  this  millennial  glory  will  take  place,  is 
a  point  concerning  which  various  opinions  have 
Deen  formed.  And  although  it  be  acknowledged 
that  no  abfolute  decilion  can  be  had  as  to  thepre* 

B 


lo 

cife  day  or  year  of  its  commencement ;  yet  it 
feems  reafonable  to  fuppofe,  that  the  defign  of 
God  in  delivering  fo  many  prophecies,  and  efpe- 
dally  fo  many  chronological  notices  on  the  fub- 
jedt,  was,  that  we  might  employ  ourfelves,  in 
the  mean  time,  in  ftudying  their  interpretation, 
and  endeavouring  to  afcertain,  as  nearly  as  polfi- 
ble,  when  thefe  great  things  (hall  be,  and  what 
J hall  be  the  figns  of  their  coming  to  pafs.  Accord- 
ingly,  great  have  been  the  learned  and  the  pious 
labours  bellowed  upon  this  fubject:  and  al¬ 
though  thefe  labours  have  produced  very  different 
refults;  yet  nothing  is  more  certain  than  that 
a  large  majority  of  the  molt  refpedtable  authori¬ 
ties  have  been  fubltantially  agreed  as  to  the  point 
in  queltiom  They  have  generally  concluded, 
that  about  the  end  of  fix  ihoufand years  from  the 
creation  will  be  the  commencement  of  that  glo¬ 
rious  profperity  promifed  to  the  church  : — that, 
like  the  weekly  return  of  the  chrillian  fabbath, 
after  fix  days  of  fervile  labour ;  fo,  after  fix  mil¬ 
lennial  days  of  fpiritual  labour,  the  church  lhall 
enjoy  an  holy  fabbath, — when  the  knowledge  of 
the  Lord  Jhall  cover  the  earthy  as  the  zuaters  cover 
the  depths  of  the  fea ;  and  when  there  Jhall  be 
nothing  to  hurt  nor  defroy  in  all  God's  holy  moun¬ 
tain .  In  fupport  of  this  opinion  many  diltin- 


1 1 


guithed  and  venerable  Names  might  be  adduced, 
were  there  time  or  neceffity  for  the  purpofe 
Names,  the  memory  of  whom  has  been  long 
embalmed  in  the  hearts  of  the  pious,  and  whofe 
opinions,  and  interpretations  of  fcripture,  I  am 
perfuaded,  would  not  be  lightly  received  by  an 
individual  of  this  affembly. 

If  this  opinion  be  true,  then,  we  are  not; 
more  than  two  centuries,  and  even,  accord¬ 
ing  to  fome  very  refpedtable  calculations,  not 
more  than  half  that  length  of  time  diftant  from 
the  happy  period  under  confideration.  And,  if 
it  be  alfo  granted,  that  the  laft  days  refer  to 
the  times  immediately  preceding  its  commence¬ 
ment,  THE  DAYS  IN  WHICH  WE  LIVE  MAY 
BE  CONSIDERED  AS  THE  LAST  DAYS.  The 
folemn  time  is  haftening  on,  and  even  is  already 
commenced,  which  the  facred  writer  defcribes  in 
the  predi&ion  now  before  us. 

Methinks,  my  brethren,  I  fee  you  ftartled,  and 
filled  with  uneafmefs  at  the  fuggeftion.  The 
generality  of  mankind  are  difpofed  to  apply  pro¬ 
phetic  defcriptions  to  diftant  times,  efpecially 
when  they  involve  diftrefling  events.  They 
would  put  far  off  the  evil  day.  Hence  few  are 
willing  to  believe  the  interpreter  of  fcripture, 
who  brings  fuch  days  very  near,  and  reprefenti 


evil  as  at  the  door.  It  is  eafy  to  fee  that  this  is  £ 
very  improper  temper.  If  prophecy  affigns  our 
own  times  as  the  period  of  awful  events,  and  of 
lingular  difficulty  and  trouble,  it  becomes  us,  in¬ 
stead  of  cavilling,  to  receive  the  intimation  with 
readinefs,  and  to  employ  ourfelves  rather  in  pre¬ 
paration  for  what  is  before  us,  than  in  contriving 
to  evade  the  prediction.  However  folemn,  then, 
dnd  however  even  alarming,  on  fome  accounts* 
the  fentiment  may  be  viewed,  I  repeat  the  decla¬ 
ration, — There  feems  good  reafon  to  conclude, 
that  the  prefent  times  are,  in  a  peculiar  and  em- 
phatical  fenfe,  the  lajl  days ; — that  God  has 
been  pleafed  to  caft  our  lot  in  that  unufually  feri- 
ous  and  awful  part  of  his  difpenfations  toward 
our  world,  which  is  defcribed  in  the  paffage  of 
his  word  now  under  confideration. 

The  next  object  of  our  inquiry  is — 

II.  What  is  to  be  the  character  of  thefe  laft 
days?  Our  text  tells  us  they  fhall  be  perilous 
times ;  that  is,  as  the  original  expreffion  indi¬ 
cates,  they  fhall  be  times  of  difficulty ,  trouble ,  and 
danger ;  times  which  fhall  “  try  men’s  fouls,” 
and  prove  efpecially  diflreffing  and  dangerous  to 
thofe  who  love  the  truth,  and  who  wifli  to  obey 

'  V  •  %  •* 

God  rather  than  man. 

That  the  period  for  fome  time  preceding  the 


1$ 


kit  ter  day  glory  fhall  be  more  than  commonly 
dark  and  gloomy,  is  by  no  means  a  new  opinion. 
It  is  an  opinion  which,  I  believe,  the  moft  of  thofe 
who  have  undertaken  to  explain  the  prophecies  on 
this  fubjedt,  have  decidedly  maintained. — They 
have  differed,  indeed,  materially  upon  defcending 
to  minute  details  of  defcription  concerning  this 
period ;  but  they  have  been  almoft  unanimous  in 
the  general  idea,  that  it  will  be  marked  with  un~ 
ufual  degeneracy  and  wickednefs.  They  have 
luppofed  this  idea  to  be  countenanced,  not  only 
by  many  diredt  and  plain  paffages  of  fcripture, 
but  alfo  by  a  review  of  the  courfe  of  divine  Pro¬ 
vidence  from  the  beginning  of  the  world. 

It  has  been  obferved  by  ecclefiaftical  hiftorians, 
that  almoft  all  remarkable  revivals  of  religion, 
and  all  fignal  interpofitions  of  divine  power  and 
grace,  to  vindicate  the  caufe  of  truth,  have  been 
preceded  by  times  of  more  than  common  dark- 
nefs  and  iniquity.  This  was  the  cafe  before  God 
interfered  to  deftroy  the  world  by  a  flood.  This 
was  the  cafe  immediately  before  the  Lord  of 
glory  came  in  the  likenefs  of  finful  flefli.  And 
this  was  no  lefs  eminently  the  cafe  before  the  re¬ 
formation  from  popery,  in  the  fixteenth  century. 
If,  then,  God’s  ufual  mode  of  adting  is,  not  to  in¬ 
terfere  by  his  power  and  grace  in  an  extraordinary 


14 


manner,  until  there  is  extraordinary  need  of  it,  it 
follows  as  probable,  upon  the  principle  of  ana¬ 
logy,  that  before  the  introdudion  of  the  Mil¬ 
lennium,  there  will  be  a  great  falling  away ,  and 
a  general  defection  from  the  caufe  of  truth. 

But  that  we  may  be  able  to  conceive  more 
juftly  of  the  charader  of  thefe  laft  days,  the 
infpired  writer  goes  on  to  defcribe  them  in  the 
verfes  immediately  following  our  text;  which 
he  does  in  this  remarkable  language.  In  thofe 
days,  men  Jhall  be  lovers  of  their  own  f elves, 
covetous ,  boafers ,  proud,  blajphemers ,  difob edient 
to  parents ,  unthankful ,  unholy ,  without  natural 
affeSiion ,  truce-breakers ,  falfe  accujers,  inconti¬ 
nent ,  fierce ,  defpifers  of  thofe  who  are  good, 
traitors ,  heady,  high-minded ,  lovers  of  pleafure 
more  than  lovers  of  God.  Correfponding  to  this 
defcription  are  the  accounts  which  are  given  of 
thefe  days  in  other  parts  of  fcripture.  Thus,  in 
writing  to  Timothy,  the  Apoftle  expreffes  him- 
felf  in  this  manner — Now,  the  Spirit  fpeaketk  ex- 
prefsly  that  in  the  latter  times  fame  Jhall  depart  from 
the  faith ,  giving  heed  to  J 'educing  fpirits  and  doc¬ 
trines  of  devils ,  {peaking  lies  in  hypocrify,  having 
their  confciences  feared  as  with  a  hot  iron.  And 
again,  in  the  fecond  epiftle  of  Peter,  we  read, — that 
there  Jhall  come,  in  the  lafi  days,  {coffers  walking  after 


l5 

their  own  lujls ,  and  faying ,  Where  is  the  promt Je 
of  his  coming  ?  for  fmce  the  fathers  fell  afleep ,  all 
things  continue  as  they  were  from  the  beginning  of 
the  creation. 

It  is  true,  indeed,  thefe  defcriptions  may  be 
confidered  as  more  or  lefs  applicable  to  every 
period  which  has  elapfed  fmce  the  incarnation  of 
the  Redeemer.  There  have,  doubtlefs,  been 
many  fuch  characters,  and  much  of  this  condud 
to  be  found  in  every  age  of  the  chriftian  church. 
But  there  feems  to  be  a  plain  intimation,  in  the 
palfages  which  have  been'  recited,  that  fuch  cha¬ 
racters  will  be  far  more  numerous  in  the  laft 
days  their  wickednels  more  bold  and  outrage¬ 
ous — and  the  deftrudive  confequences  of  their 
conduCt  more  dreadful  and  extenfive,  than  many 
preceding  times. — T.  o  be  more  particular, 
i.  The  prophetic  defcriptions  which  have  been 
quoted,  feem  to  intimate,  that  thefe  laft  days 
ftiall  be  eminently  charaderifed  by  infidelity. 
This  is  doubtlefs  meant  when  we  are  told,  that 
in  the  days  referred  to,  men  fhall  depart  from  the 
faith  that  they  fhall  give  heed  to  feducing  fpirits , 
and  doctrines  of  devils— that  they  lhall  bcfcoffers , 
mockers ,  and  blafphemers  of  divine  truth — and 
defpifers  of  all  that  is  good.  Nay,  our  Lord, 
when  defcribing  theie  days,  intimates,  that 


i6 

when  he  fhall  appear,  to  put  an  end  to  this  dark- 
nefs  and  degeneracy,  he  fhall  fcarcely  find faitk 
on  the  earth.  Some  he  will  certainly  find.  The 
divine  promife  fecures  to  us,  beyond  all  doubt, 
that  there  fhall  be,  in  the  worfl  times,  a  rem¬ 
nant  of  faithful  adherents  to  the  fervice  of  God. 
But  the  fpirit  of  prophecy  plainly  informs  us, 
that  when  the  period  fhall  arrive,  of  which  we 
are  fpeaking,  great  defections  from  chriftianity 
are  to  be  expeCted ;  that  a  proud  oppofition  to 
revealed  truth  will  generally  pervade  the  world, 
efpecially  thofe  parts  of  it  in  which  the  religion 
of  Jefus  has  been  long  planted,  and  acknow¬ 
ledged  ;  and  that  contempt  for  every  thing 
facred  will  ftalk  abroad,  with  a  more  dauntlefs 
front,  and  a  more  extended  authority  than  we 
have  hitherto  feen. 

It  has  long  been  the  opinion  of  many,  that  as 
literature  and  fcience  make  advances  in  the  world, 
real  religion  mufl  alfo,  in  the  fame  proportion, 
gain  ground.  This  opinion  would  certainly  be 
well  founded,  were  not  man  a  depraved  being; 
— were  not  the  human  heart  filled  with  prejudice 
againft  the  truth ; — and  were  not  the  tendency  to 
abufe  natural  gifts,  when  not  accompanied  by 
moral  corre&ives,  almoft  univerfal.  Science,  pro¬ 
perly  lb  called,  is  the  daughter  of  Reafon,  the 


friend  of  Virtue,  the  handmaid  of  Religion,  to 
whom  fhe  bows  her  head  with  affectionate  and 
fubmiflive  reverence.  But,  even  this  child  of 
wifdom,  venerable  and  dignified  as  fhe  is,  when 
committed  to  the  hands  of  depraved  man,  is  liable 
to  be  deformed,  abufed,  and  converted  from 
a  blefling  to  a  curfe.  Mere  intellectual  cultiva- 
tion,  inftead  of  foftening  and  improving,  will  al¬ 
ways  be  found  to  harden  the  heart.  If,  there¬ 
fore,  you  increafe  the  natural  light  and  know¬ 
ledge  of  the  unfanCtified  mind*  already  mad 
with  hoftility  againft  the  God  of  heaven  — if  you 
extend  the  capacity  and  the  range  of  his  intellec¬ 
tual  powers,  without  the  addition  of  renewing  or 
reftraining  grace,  you  will  but  inflame  his  zeal 
againft  the  truth ;  you  will  but  add  to  his  deliri¬ 
ous  hatred  and  oppofition  to  every  thing  that 
is  holy.  None  will  imagine,  that  thefe  remarks 
are  defigned  to  undervalue  knowledge,  or  to  op- 
pofe  diligence  in  the  purfuit  of  it*  It  is  an  in¬ 
fernal  policy  which  would  keep  men  ignorant 
with  a  view  to  make  them  religious.  But  my 
defign  is,  to  urge  the  too  commonly  rejected 
fentiment,  that  no  natural  advantages,  taken 
alone,  will  ever  be  found  to  promote  the  moral 
improvement  and  the  real  welfare  of  their  poflef- 

C 


1 8 


for; — that  all  the  treafures  of  fcience  which  can 
illuminate  the  mind,  unlefs  regulated  and  directed 
by  holy  principles,  will  but  feduce  more  and  more 
from  God,  and  from  happinefs. 

Perfuaded  of  this  truth ;  convinced  that  it  is 
taught  in  fcripture,  and  that  experience  daily  con¬ 
firms  it ;  I  look  for  no  fuch  effe6t  from  the  pro- 
grefs  of  fcience,  as  many  anticipate.  I  rather  be¬ 
lieve,  that  the  pride  of  prefumptuous  reafon,  and 
the  deceitfulnefs  of  a  vain  philofophy,  will  be  fuf- 
fered  to  go  forth,  deceiving  the  nations,  unhing¬ 
ing  the  faith  of  men,  fetting  themfelves  in  op- 
pofition  to  all  revealed  truth,  and  fubftituting  in 
its  place  thofe  miferable  dreams,  with  which  men 
may  live  in  mifery,  and  die  in  defpair ; — thofe 
doctrines  of  devils ,  which  are  calculated  only  to 
corrupt  and  deftroy.  We  fee  much  unbelief  and 
irreligion  in  the  world  at  prefent.  But,  from  the 
prophetic  defcriptions  which  have  been  recited, 
we  learn,  that  the  times  which  are  approaching 
will  be,  in  this  refpeft,  much  darker  than  thofe 
which  are  paft.  The  number  of  travellers  to 
Zion ,  with  their  faces  thitherward ,  will  be  fewer 
anddewer :  and  this  awful  degeneracy  will  pro- 
orefs,  until  religion  fhall  be,  in  a  great  meafure, 
banifhed  from  the  ordinary  walks  of  life ;  until 
thofe  who  hold  fall  the  profeffion  of  their  faith 


*9 

fhall  only  be  found  in  the  fhades  of  retirement, 
and  in  obfcure  corners  of  the  earth. 

Miftake  me  not,  my  brethren.  I  would  not 
be  underftood  to  fay,  that  the  church  is  in  dan¬ 
ger.  It  were  blafphemy  againft  God  to  admit 
the  idea.  She  is  in  no  danger.  Her  glorious 
Head  will  never  fuffer  the  gates  of  hell  finally  to 
prevail  againft  her.  But  he  will  probably  fuffer 
her,  for  wife  reafons,  to  luftain  adverfity  for  a 
time — to  fit  in  fackloth— to  be  furrounded  and 
attacked  by  numberlefs  foes — and  to  be  almoft 
overcome  by  them, — that  his  power  and  grace 
may  be  more  illuftrioufly  difplayed  in  railing  her 
from  the  duft — in  putting  her  enemies  to  fhame 
- — and  in  cauling  her,  from  a  ft  ate  of  fo  much 
mourning  and  gloom,  to  come  forth,  clear  as  the 
fun,  fair  as  the  moon ,  and  terrible  as  an  army  with 
banners. 

2.  Again ;  the  prophetic  defcriptions  which  we 
are  conlidering,  all  intimate  to  us,  that  thefe  lajl 
days  will  be,  in  a  remarkable  and  unprecedented 
degree,  chara&erifed  by  immorality.  For 
men,  fays  the  Apoftle  in  the  context,  fliall  be 
covetous ,  blafphemers ,  treacherous ,  falfe  accufers , 
incontinent ,  fierce ,  lovers  of  pleafures  more  than 
lovers  of  God ,  walking  after  their  own  lufis ,  and, 
having  their  confidences  feared  as  with  an  hot  iron* 


20 

This  licentioufnefs  of  morals  will  naturally  flow 
from  the  reje&ion  of  religious  principle.  For, 
whatever  may  be  laid  of  the  irreproachable  lives 
of  a  few  philofophers  in  their  clofets,  it  is  plain, 
that  the  mafs  of  mankind,  when  they  have  cad 
off  the  reftraints  of  religion,  are  prepared  for  the 
perpetration  of  the  word  crimes.  What,  then, 
may  we  not  expect,  when  infidelity  /hall  become 
general  f — when  it  fhall  not  be  confined  to  a  few 
fjpeculative  pretenders,  who  imagine  that  they 
are  the  men,  and  that  wifdom  fhall  die  with  them ; 
but  when  it  fhall  pervade  all  ranks,  unhinge 
every  mind,  and  diffolve  every  moral  tie?  If 
we  may  judge  by  the  fpecimens  which  we  have 
already  feen  of  infidel  morality,  the  refult  will 
be  dreadful  indeed  \  Human  fociety  will  exhibit 
little  but  the  reign  of  appetite  and  paflion ; — and 
depraved  reafon,  inftead  of  moralizing  and  re¬ 
forming  the  world,  as  many  vifionary  minds 
fondly  imagine,  will  but  fill  it  with  diforder, 
jnjuftice,  and  violence. 

Another  caufe  which,  it  is  probable,  will  unite 
with  that  already  mentioned,  as  a  fruitful  fource 
of  corruption  in  morals,  is,  the  fpirit  of  commerce 
and  J 'peculation ,  which  is  every  day  gaining 
ground.  It  is  a  prevailing  opinion,  that 
commerce  has  a  tendency  to  polifh  men,  and  to 


render  them  more  focial,  tranquil,  and  happy ; 
and  that  from  its  extenfion  hereafter  we  have 
great  things  to  hope,  as  well  for  the  happinefs 
as  the  ftrength  of  fociety.  But  does  not  expe¬ 
rience  lead  us  to  exped  a  contrary  refult  ?  Has 
not  a  fpirit  of  commercial  enterprize,  in  all  ages, 
while  it  miniftered  to  the  wealth  and  the  ag¬ 
grandizement  of  nations,  increafed  their  luxury, 
and  undermined  their  virtue?  Do  not  thefe 
evils  grow  in  proportion  as  it  is  extended?  And 
is  there  not  reafon  to  apprehend,  that  both  the 
morbid  caufe?  and  the  deftrudive  effeds,  will 
proceed  much  farther,  before  men  will  learn  to 
be  wife?  If  this  be  the  cafe,  while  the  praifes 
of  commerce  are  chaunted  on  every  fide ;  ane 
While  the  great  objed  of  individuals  and  of  go¬ 
vernments  feems  to  be  to  multiply  and  enlarge  its 
channels,  the  friend  of  virtue  will  drop  a  tear  over 
the  fcene,  as  likely  to  afford  another  proof  that 
the  prosperity  of  men  defroys  them. 

If  ever,  therefore,  the  time  fliall  come,  as  there 
is  too  much  reafon  to  fear  it  will,  before  the  careei 
of  human  folly  is  clofed,  when  the  principles  of 
fcepticifm  and  unbelief  fhall  become  general,  and 
when  the  commercial  and  fpeculating  fpirit,  al¬ 
ready  too  prevalent,  (hall  have  gained  that  abfo- 
lute  fway  to  which  it  feems  to  be  haftening,  we 


22 

may  expert  to  fee  the  body  politic,  though,  like 
a  white  dfepulc  hr  e,  it  may  appear  beautiful  outward, 
yet,  within,  full  of  all  uncle annefs.  We  may  ex - 
ped  to  fee  every  odious  temper,  every  malignant 
paflion,  and  every  fpecies  of  violence,  deform  and 
darken  the  face  of  fociety.  We  may  exped  to 
fee  all  the  amiable  charities  which  fweeten  and 
animate  life,  trampled  upon  as  pufillanimous  feel¬ 
ings  ;  and  the  various  moral  ties,  by  which  men 
are  bound  together,  diffolved  as  vulgarprejudices. 
We  may  exped  to  fee  the  chafte,  the  upright,  the 
meek,  and  the  humble,  laughed  to  fcorn ;  and  to 
hear  of  the  innocence  of  revenge,  plunder,  du^ 
elling,  adultery,  and  lewdnefs.  We  may  exped 

to  fee- - but  I  forbear - I  would  draw  a  veil 

over  the  reft  of  the  fcene;  and  God  grant  that 
it  may  prove  but  a  groundlefs  reprefentation  ! 

3*  There  feems  to  be  an  intimation,  that  thefu 
laft  days  will  be  remarkably  charaderized  by 
Temporal  judgments  of  a  diftreffing  and  de- 
ftroying  nature.  This  idea  is  evidently  coun¬ 
tenanced  by  innumerable  paftages  of  fcripture. 
Out  of  many  which  might  be  quoted,  for  proof 
and  illuftrationhere,  I  ftiall  only  feled  the  account 
which  is  given  in  the  Revelations  of  John  the  db 
vine,  of  the  circumftances  attending  the  pouring 
put  of  the  vials  of  the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  earth  K 


23 


The  three  laft  of  thefe  are  reprefented  as  accom¬ 
panied  by  fore  judgments,  calculated  exceedingly 
to  afflict  the  children  of  men.  And,  what  is  {till 
more  remarkable,  there  is  a  plain  intimation,  that 
thefe  judgments,  inftead  of  humbling  and  fatten¬ 
ing  the  hearts  of  the  wicked,  will  but  render  them 
more  obdurate— lead  them  to  oppofe  Jehovah 
with  greater  boldnefs— and  fill  them  with  all  the 
malignity  and  violence  of  defpair,  While  they 
gnaw  their  tongues  for  pain,  they  will  blafpheme 
the  God  of  heaven ,  and  will  not  repent  of  their 

deeds. 

But  that  extraordinary  judgments  may  be  ex¬ 
pected  to  accompany  an  unufual  degree  of  moral 
degeneracy,  while  it  is  intimated  in  prophecy ,  is 
alfo  confonant  with  reafon  and  expenence*  In 
many  cafes,  the  former  are  the  natural  and  necett 
fary  confequences  of  the  latter,  as  might  be  fhewn 
in  a  variety  of  particulars,  were  there  time  for  en¬ 
tering  into  detail.  In  others,  they  aie,  no  doubt, 
the  refult  of  more  immediate  and  lupernatural 
interference.  But  whether  affliCtive  providences 
flow  from  the  ordinary  operation  of  what  arc 
called  natural  laws,  or  from  an  agency  which 
appears  more  direCt  and  miraculous,  God  is  to  be 
equally  acknowledged  as  the  author  of  both. 
He  who  created  the  univerfe ;  who  continually 


£4 


preferves  it;  and  who  guides  all  its  complicated 
movements,  forefaw  every  occurrence,  adjufted 
every  inftrument,  and  interwove  with  his  plan, 
from  the  beginning,  every  event  in  the  natural 
world  which  he  defigned  to  ufe,  either  to  reward 
the  righteous,  or  to  punilh  the  wicked. 

What  may  be  the  kind  or  the  meafure  of 
thofe  judgments  which  we  are  to  exped  in  the 
laid  days,  it  were  prefumptuous  to  decide.  Pro¬ 
bably  famine,  peftilence,  earthquakes,  and  every 
fpecies  of  convulfion  and  calamity,  will  b$ 
more  frequent,  extenfive,  and  dreadful,  than  in 
preceding  times.  It  feems  not  unreafonable  to 
luppofe,  that  the  whole  natural  world  will  par¬ 
take  fomething  of  the  gloom  and  agitation  which 
will  afTed  the  moral.  When  man  fell,  the 
ground  was  curfed  for  his  fake ;  and  in  cafes  of 
extraordinary  wickednefs  fince,  the  elements 
have  been  converted  into  tremendous  execution¬ 
ers  of  divine  juftice.  Similar  events,  there  isreafon 
to  believe,  will  conftitute  a  part  of  the  perils  of 
the  lajl  days.  In  the  progrefs  of  that  degeneracy 
which  we  are  to  exped,  Jehovah  will  probably 
reprove  men  by  the  terrors  of  his  Providence,  as 
well  as  by  the  threatenings  of  his  word.  He 
will  give  numberlefs  difplays  of  his  power,  and 
his  wrath  againft  fin ;  but  they  will  be  difregarded. 


25 

He  will  exhibit,  in  his  judicial  dealings  with 
the  wicked,  abundant  teftimony  in  favour  of  his 
truth;  but  they  will  not  believe.  He  will  make 
their  plagues  wonderful ;  but  they  will  not  repent 
to  give  him  glory. 

4.  Once  more;  the  prophetic  defcriptions 
which  we  are  confidering,  plainly  intimate  that 
the  laft  days  will  be  remarkably  chara&erifed 

by  POLITICAL  DISORDERS  AND  POLITICAL 

miseries.  Where  infidelity  and  immorality 
reign,  with  a  combined  force,  it  is  impofTible 
there  fliould  be  permanent  and  happy  civil  go¬ 
vernment.  The  politicians  of  this  world,  indeed, 
fondly  perfuade  themfelves,  that  as  mankind  in- 
creafe  in  knowledge,  they  will  alfo  advance  in 
political  wifdom  and  happinefs.  Their  heated 
imaginations,  teeming  with  deceitful  phantoms, 
feduce  them  into  the  belief,  that  a  period  is  fall 
approaching,  when  men  will  become,  by  the  na¬ 
tural  progrefs  of  human  wifdom,  too  reafonable 
to  need  the  precepts  of  law,  and  too  regular  to 
require  the  coercions  of  power. 

This,  it  is  to  be  feared,  is  a  vain  illufion !  To 
think  of  any  community  advancing  in  political 
greatnefs,  or  in  political  felicity,  without  good 
morals,  is  to  think  of  gathering  grapes  of  thorns , 
or  figs  of  thifles.  And  to  look  for  good  morals, 

D 


26 


without  the  aid  of  religion,  is  to  look  for  an  ej}e£t9 
without  any  adequate  caufe.  Where  the  reftraints 
of  religious  and  moral  principle,  therefore,  are 
thrown  afide,  there  muft  be  confufion  and  every 
evil  work.  Where  this  is  the  cafe,  power  will  be 
ufed  but  to  opprefs  and  deftroy — liberty  will  be 
turned  into  a  cloak  of  malicioufnefs — and  diforder 
will  fucceed  to  diforder,  until  the  body  politic 
finks  into  dififolution.  In  fhort,  the  natural  ten¬ 
dency  of  infidelity  in  religion,  is  to  weaken  the 
force  of  every  law- — to  cherifh  the  felfifh  princi¬ 
ple,  more  deftrudive  than  fire  or  fword — and  to 
render  government  nothing  but  the  conflict  of 
oppofing  interefts.  Hence,  if,  as  the  fcriptures 
inform  us,  the  lajl  days  be  diftinguifhed,  in  an 
unprecedented  degree,  by  infidelity  and  wicked- 
nefs,  we  have  reafon  to  exped,  as  the  natural 
confequence,  that  they  will  be  no  lefs  diftinguilh- 
ed  by  political  convulfions  and  revolutions.  We 
have  reafon  to  exped,  that  war,  change,  and 
diftradion,  will  be  more  than  ever  prevailing  and 
extenfive.  That  nation  will,  with  more  and 
more  frequency  and  malignity,  rife  up  againft  na¬ 
tion,  and  kingdom  againft  kingdom ;  that  na¬ 
tional  faith  and  honour  will  be  generally  trampled 
upon,  and  power  become  the  univerfal  law ;  and 
that  the  ftruggles  of  ambition,  grafping  and  de- 


27 

Vouring  every  thing  within  his  reach,  and  the 
fury  of  contending  paflions,  will  convert  the  earth 
into  an  aceldama ,  a  field  of  blood.  Accordingly, 
it  is  plainly  intimated,  in  the  fecond  pfalm,  that 
before  the  time  come  when  God  fhall  give  the 
heathen  to  his  Son  for  an  inheritance ,  and  the  utter * 
mojl  parts  of  the  earth  for  a  pojfejion ;  he  will  break 
the  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron ;  he  will  dafi  them 
in  pieces  like  a  potter  s  veffel. 

For  thefe  dreadful  explofions  human  folly  has 
been  long  laying  the  train.  It  has  been  building 
up  fyftems  of  civil  and  ecclefiaflical  tyranny, 
which  muft,  and  which  affuredly  will,  come  down  5 
but  which,  depraved  as  men  are,  cannot  be  ex- 
peded  to  fall  without  diforder,  crimes,  and  blood. 
The  ambitious,  the  defigning,  and  the  miftaken, 
have,  in  every  age,  been  ereding  fabrics  of  fuper- 
flition  and  defpotifm,  loading  the  bodies  and  the 
minds  of  men  with  opprefhve  burdens,  and  lay¬ 
ing  undue  reftraints  on  the  exercife  of  the  human 
faculties.  Thefe  fyftems  of  unnatural  domination 
are  probably  drawing  to  an  end.  But,  alas !  the 
evil  has  gone  too  far  to  be  remedied  without 
means  as  grievous  as  the  difeafe.  The  time  feems 
to  be  haftening  on,  when  men  will  no  longer  en¬ 
dure  the  chains  of  fuperftition ;  but  they  threaten 
to  caft  off  the  juft  ties  of  religion  and  morality 


with  them.  Abufed  fo  long  with  counterfeits  of 
truth,  they  are  learning  to  defpife  the  glorious 
reality.  The  period  appears  to  be  at  hand,  when 
every  defpotic  throne  will  be  levelled  to  the  duft ; 
but  fuch  is  the  infatuation  of  depraved  man, 
that,  vibrating  from  one  extreme,  they  will  pro¬ 
bably  rufh  to  another,  and  become  impatient  of 
fubmiffion  even  to  wife  and  equitable  govern¬ 
ment.  Poor  human  nature  \  how  low  art  thou 
fallen !  doomed  forever  to  abufe  the  gifts  of  a  be¬ 
nevolent  God,  to  convert  bleffmgs  into  curfes, 
and  in  attemping  to  remedy  the  evils  which  thy 
folly  has  brought  upon  thee,  to  plunge  deeper 
and  deeper  into  crimes  and  mifery.* 

How  far  the  degeneracy  which  has  been  de- 
fcribed  fhall  proceed,  before  the  tide  fir  all  turn. 


*  The  candid  reader  will  not  confhue  thefe,  or  any  of  the  fore¬ 
going  remarks,  as  defigned  to  imply,  that  all  revolutions  are  wrong, 
or  that  the  reformation  of  bad  governments  cannot,  with  propriety, 
t)e  attempted  in  any  cafe.  The  opinion  of  the  author  is  diredly  the 
reverfe.  He  is  now  reaping  the  happy  fruits  of  one  revolution,  in 
which  he  can  never  ceafc  to  exult.  And  he  cannot  adopt  the  view? 
of  thofe  who  declaim  againft  all  innovation,  as  foolifh  and  dan¬ 
gerous.  He  would  only  be  underflood  to  exprefs,  what  appears  to 
be  too  little  realized,  but  which  he  firmly  belieyes  to  be  truth  of 
practical  importance,  and  cfpecially  at  the  prefent  crifis — that  the 
human  mind,  in  every  part  of  the  civilized  world,  feems  to  be  daily 
growing  more  impatient  of  every  fpecies  of  controul — that  the  gall¬ 
ing  yoke  of  tyranny  has  been  one  of  the  principal  caufes  of  this  mor¬ 
bid  irritation — and  that,  in  avoiding  one  extreme,  much  is  to  be 
feared,  in  the  prefent  febrile  flate  of  the  moral  world,  from  their 
falling  into  the  oppofite — anarchy,  and  intolerance  of  all  rule. 


29 


is  a  queftion  which  we  are  not  competent  to  de¬ 
cide.  The  fcriptures  only  give  us  general  views 
of  the  fubjedt,  and  leave  us  to  be  informed  of  the 
reft  by  the  awful  event.  They  plainly  give  us  to 
underftand,  however,  that  the  corruption  and 
wickednefs  of  men  will  rife  to  an  higher  pitch  than 
they  have  ever  yet  rifen — That  irreligion,  diforder, 
and  violence,  will  be  more  extenfively  and  dread¬ 
fully  prevalent  than  they  have  appeared  fince  man 
was  an  inhabitant  of  the  earth — And  that,  as  at  the 
clofe  of  this  period,  the  light  which  fhall  break 
in  upon  the  world  fhall  be  more  illuflrious  than 
ever  before  flione ;  fo  the  preceding  cloud  will  fet 
with  more  than  ordinary  thicknefs  and  gloom 
over  the  nations. 

Some  have  fuppofed,  that  the  degeneracy  and 
corruption  which  have  been  defcribed  will  not 
equally  pervade  every  part  of  the  earth.  It  is  a 
favourite  hope  with  many,  that  America,  as 
the  has  fo  lately  become  the  refidence  of  civili¬ 
zation  and  chriftianity,  and  as  (lie  has  been  fo 
fignally  favoured  of  heaven,  is  deftined  to  be  the 
depofitory  of  divine  truth,  and  the  feat  of  much 
religious  and  political  happinefs,  even  to  the  end  : 
while  they  imagine,  that  all  the  old  Hates,  and 
every  ancient  eftablifhment,  ecclefiaflical  and  ci¬ 
vil,  will  be  pulled  down,  and  trodden  in  the 


(Juft.  How  far  this  view  of  the  fubject  may  be 
juft,  cannot,  with  certainty,  be  pronounced  at 
prefent.  On  the  one  hand,  it  is  fcarcely  proba¬ 
ble,  that  a  country  which  has  made,  compara¬ 
tively,  fo  fmall  progrefs  in  that  myjlery  of  iniquity 
which  has  long  been  the  difgrace  of  many  old  go¬ 
vernments,  fhould  be  fo  deeply  involved  in  its 
confequent  evils  as  they.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  our  fins,  as  a  nation,  are  fo  numerous  and 
aggravated,  our  abufes  of  divine  goodnefs  fo  fre¬ 
quent  and  inexcufable,  and  our  demerit  in  the 
fight  of  infinite  Juftice  fo  great,  that  it  were  pre- 
fumptuous  to  hope  for  a  total  exemption  from 
his  frowns  and  judgments.  O  Lord !  thou  haft 
done  great  things  for  us,  whereof  we  are  glad* 
Continue  thy  guidance  and  proteddion.  Save  us 
from  our  own  infatuated  counfels.  If  it  be  poffi - 
ble,  let  the  cup  of  bitternefs ,  of  which  other  na¬ 
tions  are  drinking  fo  deeply,  pafs  from  us ,  that 
our  fouls  may  blefs  thee! 

But  you  will,  perhaps,  afk,  my  brethren,  how 
will  all  this  be  brought  about  ?  What  fhould 
make  men  more  wicked,  and  fill  the  world,  with 
more  diforder  and  violence,  for  a  confiderable 
time  to  come,  than  have  been  exhibited  in  times, 
paft  ?  I  anfwer,  that  for  bringing  about  the  de- 
figns  of  God,  in  this  refpedd — for  carrying  the 


31 

prophetic  notices  of  his  word  into  moft  dreadful 
execution — there  feems  to  be  a  natural  prepara¬ 
tion  in  the  prefent  ftate  of  the  world.  Have  not 
events  taken  place  in  Europe,  within  ten  years, 
on  which  all  civilized  fociety  is  gazing  with  afto- 
nilhment  ?  Have  not  the  feeds  of  univerfal  con- 
fufion  already  begun  to  fhoot,  and  even  to  fpread 
abroad  peftiferous  branches  ?  Who  can  contem¬ 
plate  the  prefent  awful  derangement  of  the  old 
world,  the  growing  atheifm,  the  profanenefs 
which  is  increafing  every  hour,  the  progrefs  of 
luxury,  which  is  conflantly  corroding  the  morals 
of  fociety,  the  diffolution  of  focial  ties,  the  felfifli 
and  mercenary  fpirit,  which  is  arming  fo  large  a 
portion  of  the  community  againft  the  reft  of  their 
kind,  and  the  contempt,  daily  gaining  ground, 
for  all  regular  principles  and  inftitutions — who 

can  mark  the  rapid  ftrides  which  all  thefe  evils 

0 

are  making,  without  anticipating  fome  tremen¬ 
dous  refult?  Yes,  brethren,  God  has  caft  our 
lot  in  folemn  times  l  The  evils  which  our  ears 
have  heard  are  but  the  beginning  of  furrows.  He 
who  expefts  to  fee  the  fpeedy  eftablifhment  of 
peace  and  happinefs  in  the  tranfatlantic  world, 
experts  a  courfe  of  miracles.  No;  humanly 
fpeaking,  it  cannot  be.  A  leaven  has  begun  to 
operate,  which  will  never  flop  till  it  has  leavened 


3  2 

the  whole  mafs.  “  A  great  armed  doc¬ 
trine”  has  gone  forth,  which  will  be  permit¬ 
ted,  by  a  fovereign  God,  to  overturn ,  and  over¬ 
turn^  and  overturn ,  until  he  whofe  right  it  is  fhall 
take  to  himfelf  his  great  power  and  reign ,  and  be¬ 
come  King  of  nations,  as  he  is  King  of  faints. 

The  defign  of  God,  in  fuffering  this,  is  by  no 
means  obfcure.  The  ultimate  end  of  all  his  dif- 
penfations,  from  the  beginning,  has  been  to  ex¬ 
hibit  his  own  infinite  Excellence,  in  oppofition 
to  all  other  obje&s  of  trufland  confidence.  And 

as  wifdom  is  never  more  completely  difplayed 

# 

than  when  contrafted  with  folly,  power  with 
weaknefs,  and  holinefs  with  fin,  fo  Jehovah,  in 
order  to  make  a  more  perfeft  and  impreffive  ex¬ 
hibition  of  his  own  wifdom,  power,  and  holinefs, 
to  the  intelligent  univerfe,  has  buffered  depraved 
reafon  to  go  great  lengths,  to  feek  out  many  in¬ 
ventions ,  and  to  expend  its  proud  ingenuity,  in 
order  to  (hew  its  utter  infufficiency  to  fecure  hap- 
pinefs  without  God.  This  is  a  leffon  which  the 
Creator  has  been  teaching  mankind  from  the  mo¬ 
ment  of  the  fall.  But,  like  Jannes  and  Jambres , 
who  withfood  Mofes ,  though  they  have  been  ever 
learning ,  they  have  never  yet  come  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth.  There  is  reafon,  therefore,  to  be¬ 
lieve.  that  this  truth  will  yet  be  placed  in  a  ftill 


33 


Itrdnger  point  of  light.  Human  wifdorti  has  not 
yet  a6ted  out  all  its  impiety  and  folly.  It  has 
ftill  fome  inventions  to  exhibit,  more  wonderful 
than  we  have  hitherto  feen ;  fome  ftrokes  of  po¬ 
licy  to  attempt,  more  mad  and  daring  than  it  has 
yet  afpired  to ;  fome  ingenious  modes  of  warfare 
againft  God  and  virtue,  the  nature  and  effe&s  of 
which  are,  at  prefent,  but  little  realized.  When 
the  meafure  of  all  thefe  impious  efforts  fhall  be 
full — when  human  wifdom  fhall  have  exhaufted 
its  infernal  devices,  and  human  pride  fhall  have 
gone  its  utmofl  length — when  all  the  vain  fchemes 
of  thofe  who  would  govern  the  heart  without 
religion,  and  regulate  fociety  without  God,  fhall 
be  fufficiently  expofed — when  the  hearts  of  the 
few  remaining  believers  fhall  begin  to  fail  them 
for  fear — and  when  univerfal  diforder  fhall  pro¬ 
claim  the  neceflity  of  divine  interference — Then 
he  who  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth ,  will 
appear  for  the  vindication  of  his  caufe-^will  {weep 
away  his  enemies  with  the  befom  of  deftru&ion 
— wi\l  build  up  the  wajle places  of  Zion — and  thus 
exhibit  himfelf  more  glorious  and  powerful  than 
if  this  oppofition  to  his  charadter  had  never  been 
made. — Surely  the  wrath  of  man  fhall  praife  God , 
and  the  remainder  of  wrath  he  will  refrain.  It 
is  his  prerogative  and  his  glory  to  bring  good  out 

E 


34 


of  evil,  light  out  of  darknefs,  order  out  of  con- 
fufion,  and  a  kingdom  of  the  greateft  holinefs 
and  felicity  out  of  beings  who  were  totally  de¬ 
praved. 

It  only  remains  to  inquire — 

III.  With  what  temper  and  views  lliould  we 
look  forward  to  the  fulfilment  of  the  predidion 
in  our  text? 

Out  of  many  remarks  which  might  properly 
be  introduced  under  this  head,  fuffer  me  to  fe- 
led  the  following  for  your  lerious  confideration. 

i .  If  it  be  true  that  God  has  warned  us  of  fucli 
days,  we  fhould  be  aware  of  their  approach ,  and 
realize  that  they  are  before  ns.  It  will,  perhaps, 
be  afked,  admitting  that  the  reprefentation  which 
has  been  given  of  this  fubjed  were  juft,  what 
good  would  it  do  to  torment  ourfelves  before  the 
time,  by  anticipating  the  gloomy  fcene  ?  I  an- 
fwer,  my  brethren,  it  would  do  much  good.  To 
have  fuitable  views  of  this  interefting  point  would 
be  pradically  ufeful.  It  would  ferve  to  explain 
the  prefent  myfterious  afped  of  Divine  Provi¬ 
dence  :  for  who,  without  adopting,  in  fubftance, 
the  dodrines  which  have  been  delivered,  can 
form  any  fatisfadory  opinion,  or  cherilli  any  ra¬ 
tional  hope,  concerning  the  fingular  pofture  of 
the  moral  and  political  world,  at  the  prefent  mo- 


35 

inent?  It  would,  farther,  ferve  to  modify  our 
conduct  in  a  variety  of  refpeCts,  and  would  entei 
deeply  into  the  bufinefs  and  intercourfe  of  every 
day.  Accordingly,  we  find,  in  all  thofe  inftances 
related  in  the  facred  hiftory,  in  which  God’s 
people  did  not  realize  and  lay  to  heart  pre¬ 
dicted  evil,  they  were  feverely  reproved  and  pu- 
nifhed  for  their  unbelief.  A  folemn  leffon  to 
thofe  who  will  not  be  perfuaded  to  believe  any 
thing  unpleafant  or  gloomy,  though  undeviating 
veracity  declare  it !  The  prudent  man ,  fays  Solo¬ 
mon,  forefeelh  the  evil ,  and  hideth  himfelf ;  but 
the  foolijh  pafs  on ,  and  are  puni/hed. 

But,  even  admitting  that  we  could  not  fee  the 
practical  utility  of  fuch  belief yet,  if  it  be  once 
afcertained  that  God’s  word  has  revealed  the 
truth  in  queftion,  who  will  dare  to  fay  it  is  of  no 
importance  to  be  known  ?  Such  a  declaration 
would  be  charging  infinite  Wifdom  with  making 
predictions  to  no  purpofe,  and  calling  our  atten¬ 
tion,  frequently  and  folemnly,  to  objeCts  unwor¬ 
thy  of  regard. 

2.  Again ;  we  fhould  contemplate  this  fubjeCt 
with  the  deepejl  abhorrence  of  fin ,  as  the  procuring 
caufe  of  all  the  evils  which  we  fuffer,  or  which 
we  have  any  reafon  to  fear  ;  and  with  the  deepefi 
humiliation  before  God ,  for  the  depravity  and  folly 


36 


bf  fallen  man.  As  long  as  man  remained  inno* 
cent,  his  life  was  tranquil  and  happy.  Calmly 
repofing  under  the  blifsful  bowers  of  paradife,  he 
knew  nothing  but  enjoyment.  What  a  contrail 
to  its  prefent.  chara&er  would  fociety  exhibit,  if 
made  up  of  fuch  beings !  But  when  Sin,  that 
odious  and  execrable  moniler,  appeared,  he  quick¬ 
ly  changed  the  fcene.  From  that  fatal  hour  the 
earth  has  been  a  continual  theatre  of  diforder, 
confufion,  mifery,  and  tears.  From  that  hour 
the  whole  creation  has  groaned ,  and  travailed  in. 
pain.  In  departing  from  God,  man  wandered 
into  an  endlefs  labyrinth,  feeking  reft,  but  find¬ 
ing  none ;  the  farther  he  has  gone  from  the  Source 
of  good,  the  farther  he  has  removed  from  happi- 
nefs ;  nor  can  he  ever  regain  that  grand  objcft  of 
human  purfuit,  but  by  a  humble  return  to  the 
allegiance  which  he  left. 

Sin,  then,  or  departing  from  God,  and  feek¬ 
ing  our  chief  good  among  creatures,  is  the  fource 
of  all  our  troubles.  Whether  affliftions  befal  us 
as  individuals — whether  they  enter  our  families, 
and  gather  blacknefs  on  the  faces  of  the  focial 
circle — or  whether  they  come  upon  us  in  a  na¬ 
tional  capacity,  fin  is  the  parent  of  them  all. 
Does  a  dark  cloud  hang  over  us,  as  a  people,  at 
the  prefent  moment  ?  Reafon  and  true  philo- 


37 

fophy  concur  with  the  word  of  God,  in  afcribing 
it  to  our  fins  as  the  caufe.  Do  appearances  por¬ 
tend  greater  evils  in  future?  Be  allured,  Jeho- 
vah  does  not  willingly  afflitt  or  grieve  the  children 
of  men ;  fo  that  if  we  were  not  eminently  finful, 
we  Ihould  have  no  reafon  to  expert  extraordinary 
judgments. 

There  cannot,  therefore,  be  a  more  fuitable  ex^ 
eicife  for  this  day,  than  to  come  before  God  with 
deep  humiliation ,  for  that  depravity  of  our  natures, 
which  has  produced  fo  much  wickednefs  and  mi- 
fery  among  men ;  than  to  come  before  him  with 
Jighing  and  mourning  for  all  the  abominations  which 
are  done  in  our  land ,  and  throughout  the  world. 
For,  on  the  one  hand,  as  national  guilt  is  made 
up  of  individual  tranfgrelfion,  fo  it  becomes 
each  of  us  to  confider  ourfelves  involved  in  the 
general  charge  of  iniquity.  And,  on  the  other 
hand,  as  national  penitence  confifts  in  floods  of 
individual  holy  forrow,  it  is  the  duty  of  all  to  be 
covered  with  lhame,  and  to  repent,  in  dull  and 
allies,  at  the  footftool  of  grace.  Brethren,  to  lit¬ 
tle  purpofe  do  we  keep  a  Fall,  and  make  con- 
feflion  of  fin  with  our  lips,  if  its  evil  and  odious 
nature  do  not  pierce  us  to  the  heart,  and  hum¬ 
ble  us  before  God.  To  little  purpofe  do  we 
bozo  down  our  heads  as  a  bulrufh ,  and  come  to 


3S 

the  throne  of  mercy,  imploring  forgivenefs,  if 
that  bitter  and accurfed  thing,  Which  Jehovah  hates, 
be  not  renounced  by  us  with  penitential  grief 
and  for  row. 

3.  Is  there  reafon  to  believe,  that  -times  of 
more  than  ordinary  peril  and  trouble  are  coming 
on  ?  Then  let  every  friend  of  truth  and  virtue 
refolutely  fet  himjelf  againji  the  torrent ,  and  endea¬ 
vour,  by  every  exertion ,  to  oppofe  the  progrefs  of 
vice.  The  perfuafion  that  perilous  times  are 
approaching  fhould  not  difcourage  a  fingle  good 
refolution,  nor  paralize  a  fingle  virtuous  effort. 
We  evidently  abufe  prophecy,  and  conftrue  it 
erroneoufly,  when  we  fuffer  it  to  interfere  with 
the  ufe  of  ordinary  means ;  or  when  it  tempts  us 
to  fit  down  in  defpair.  No  view  of  the  purpofes 
of  God  can  be  juft,  which  tends  to  diminifh  our 
holy  a&ivity  in  his  fervice.  A  good  man  can  ne¬ 
ver  be  placed  in  a  fituation  in  which  it  is  not  his 
duty  to  drive  againft  fin,  and  to  feek,  by  every 
mean  in  his  power,  however  feeble  and  unpro- 
mifing,  the  advancement  of  the  Redeemer’s  king¬ 
dom.  On  the  contrary,  the  more  prevailing  and 
triumphant  the  caufe  of  fatan  may  be,  the  ftronger 
fhould  fuch  an  one  confider  his  obligations  to 
oppofe  it  with  zeal. 

Do  you  charge  me  with  inconfiftency  here?  I 


39 


anlwer,  in  the  language  of  infpiration — Let  God 
be  true ,  and  every  man  a  liar.  Nothing  is  more 
certain  than  that  the  purpofes  of  God  are  fixed. 
His  counfel  Jlandeth  firm ,  having  this  for  its  feal , 
that  God  is  true.  But,  at  the  fame  time,  it  is 
equally  certain,  that  his  purpofes  are  not  to  be 
the  rule  of  our  conduct ;  for  this  plain  reafon, 
that  we  know  not  what  they  are.  Even  with  re- 
fpedt  to  thofe  defigns  which  are  the  fubjedt  of 
prophetic  difclofure,  there  are  many  things  dill 
left  in  the  dark,  becaufe  the  knowledge  of  them 
could  not  be  ufeful.  For  inftance,  though  it  be 
granted  that  perilous  times  are  predicted,  and  re- 
prefented  as  about  generally  to  prevail,  yet  who 
knows  but  many  parts  of  the  earth  may  be  much 
more  favoured  in  this  refpe<d  than  the  others  ? 
What  holy  man  knows  but  that  the  didridt  in 
which  his  lot  is  call  may  be,  in  a  great  meafure, 
exempted  from  the  furrounding  calamities — and 
that  his  exertions  in  the  caufe  of  virtue  are  to  be 
ufed  as  means  for  fecuring  this  exemption  ?  It 
were  eafy  to  fhew,  by  a  variety  of  fimilar  illuf- 
trations,  that  the  firmed  perfuafion  of  the  truth 
of  what  has  been  delivered,  fhould  not  diminifh, 
or  difcourage  our  diligence  in  the  caufe  of  righte- 
oufnefs,  and  in  driving  to  avoid  the  evil  which 
we  fear. 


40 


In  looking  forward,  then,  to  the  times  which 
have  been  defcribed,  every  believer  fhould  realize, 
that  he  is  called  upon  to  double  his  diligence,  to 
walk  with  increafing  circumfpedtion,  and  to  put 
on  new  armour.  Chriftians!  the  time  is  ap¬ 
proaching  which  fhall  try  you  !  Gird  up  the  loins 
of  your  minds ;  be  fober ,  and  watch  unto  prayer. 
Quit  y our f elves  like  men ;  be  Jlrong.  Count  not  even 
your  lives  dear  unto  you ,  that  you  may  finifh  your 
courfe  with  joy ;  and  that ,  having  overcome ,  you 
may  fit  down  with  Chrifi  on  his  throne ,  even  as  he 
alfo  has  overcome ,  and  fat  down  with  the  Father 
on  his  throne. 

4.  Again ;  are  perilous  times  coming  on  P  And 
have  we  reafon  to  believe  that  many  nations,  efpe- 
cially  in  the  old  world,  will  become  the  melan¬ 
choly  vidtims  of  diforder  and  wickednefs  ?  Then 
prudence,  religion,  found  policy,  and  every 
confideration,  didfate  that  we  fhould  endeavour 
to  keep  at  as  great  a  difiance  from  thofe  nations ,  and 
have  as  little  to  do  with  them ,  as  poffible.  My 
brethren,  I  came  not  to  this  place  to  commend 
or  to  cenfure  the  fyftems  of  party  politicians,  or 
to  enter  into  the  warmth  of  thofe  controverfies 
which  have  fo  long  agitated  my  fellow-citizens. 

I  Hand  not  here  to  pronounce  a  panegyric  upon 
any  one  of  the  nations  alluded  to,  at  the  expence 


4* 

of  another.  With  refpeCt  to  all  of  them,  in  a 
mafs,  I  am  perfuaded,  it  may  be  faid,  that  they 
offer  few  examples  but  thofe  of  rapine  and  vio¬ 
lence — little  intercourfe  but  fuch  as  is  calculated 
to  corrupt  and  deftroy.  European  connec¬ 
tions  have  already  been  a  curfe  to  us.  They 
are  every  hour  growing  more  dangerous.  And 
if  we  Ihould  finally  fall  a  prey  to  political  dif- 
orders  and  miferies,  to  the  continuance  and  ex- 
tenllon  of  thefe  connections  we  fhall  probably,  in 
a  great  meafure,  owe  the  cataftrophe.  Had  I, 
therefore,  a  voice  that  could  be  extended  to  the 
extremes  of  the  Unions  I  would  exert  it  in  pro¬ 
claiming - My  beloved  countrymen  1  keep  at 

a  diftance  from  thofe  feats  of  diforder,  left  you 
be  fharers  in  the  general  wreck.  Behold  the  com- 
buftible  materials  which  are  accumulating  in 
every  part  of  their  guilty  land,  and  threaten¬ 
ing,  every  moment,  to  explode  with  volcanic 
fury  1  What  will  it  profit  you  to  join  in  a  ftrug- 
gle  of  which  no  one  can  count  the  coft,  or  fee 
the  end— and  with  parties  who  are  all  hoftile  to 
our  national  welfare  ?  Come  out  from  among 
them,  then,  left  you  be  partakers  with  them  in 
their  plagues  l  Let  nothing  tempt  you  to  con¬ 
ned  your  interefts  with  theirs,  or  to  run 
the  rifk  of  being  involved  in  their  convul- 

F 


fions,  if,  peradventure,  God  will  have  mercy 
upon  us,  that  we  perifli  not  with  them  ! 

5.  Have  we  reafon  to  believe  that  times  of 
unufual  wickednefs  and  diforder  are  at  hand? 
Then  let  us  cleave  to  the  religion  of  Ckrijl ,  as  the 
bell  defence,  and  the  fureft  conlolation.  This 
is  the  great  Jheet  anchor  upon  which  abfolute  re¬ 
liance  may  be  placed,  in  the  moft  violent  ftorm. 
And  if  we  would  efcape  the  fury  of  the  billows 
which  have  rifen,  and  are  rifing  ftill  higher,  in 
the  moral  and  political  world,  it  will  be  our 
wifdom  never  to  part  with  it ;  but  to  ufe  every 
means  of  extending  its  influence. 

This  religion  is  the  only  effectual  cure  for  mo¬ 
ral  depravity  :  the  only  fyftem  of  truth  that  can 
purify  the  polluted  recedes  of  the  heart,  that  can 
curb  irregular  appetites,  and  reftrain  the  impe- 
tuofity  of  paffion*  It  confirms  its  precepts  by 
the  mofl  powerful  fan&ions*  It  penetrates  to 
the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  foul.  It  excites 
to  obedience  by  the  mofl  engaging  and  opeiativc 
motives.  It  reaches  to  an  extent  to  which  hu¬ 
man  laws  can  never  go.  The  native  tendency 
of  this  divine  fyftem  is,  to  check  the  infolence 
of  power ;  to  reftrain  the  encroachments  of  op- 
preflion ;  to  give  energy  to  the  wife  prefcriptions 
of  government;  to  fecure  liberty  with  order; 


43 


and  to  bind  men  together  as  a  band  of  brethren, 
having  no  other  withes  than  to  promote  their 
common  happinefs,  and  to  glorify  their  common 
God. 

My  brethren,  confider,  then,  the  men  who 
would  rob  you  of  this  religion  as  your  enemies, 
and  the  enemies  of  all  focial  happinefs.  Be 
affured,  whatever  may  be  their  motives,  and  whe¬ 
ther  they  realize  it  or  not,  they  are  madmen  Scat¬ 
tering  firebrands ,  arrozvs ,  and  death.  They  may 
tell  you,  “  that  in  calling  off  religion,  you  will 
only  free  yourfelves  from  chains  which  cramp 
your  faculties  &nd  degrade  your  nature;  that 
you  will  never  rife  to  the  true  fublimity  of  the 
human  character,  till  you  throw  from  you  the 
cumbrous  load.”  They  may  tell  you  this ;  and 
they  may  believe  it  all.  But,  O,  fellow  mortals ! 
examine  well  before  you  commit  yourfelves  to 
their  delulive  guidance.  Are  you  patriots  ?  and 
will  you  embrace  principles  which  tend  to  dif- 
folve  all  the  ties  of  focial  order  ?  Are  you  fa¬ 
thers  of  families  ?  and  will  you  adopt  a  fyftem, 
which  proftrates  every  law  of  domeftic  happi¬ 
nefs  ?  Are  you  accountable  beings  ?  and  will  you 
chufe  a  road  which  conducts  to  the  chambers  of 
death  f  No,  brethren.  Whatever  difficulty  or 
trouble  may  arife,  hold  fiafi  the  profeffion  of  your 


44 


faith  firm  without  wavering.  For  the  name  of 
the  Lord  is  a  frong  toiver ;  the  righteous  runneth 
into  it,  and  is  fafe. 

6.  Farther;  are  perilous  times  haflening  on l 
Then  let  us  be  eafncfl  and  importunate  at  the  throne 
cf  peace,  that  thefe  days  may  be.fiortened.  Our 
prayers  can  never,  indeed,  alter  the  divine  plans. 
They  are  formed  with  infinite  wifdom,  and  are 
therefore  immutable.  But  Jehovah  having  ori¬ 
ginally  intended,  and  having  given  a  kind  of 
promife  that  the  days  of  which  we  are  fpeaking 
fhould  be  fhort,  dill  declares,  that  he  will  be 
inquired  of  by  his  people,  to  do  as  he  hath  faid. 
In  conformity  with  this  view  of  the  fubjedt,  is 
the  following  remarkable  language  of  our  Lord. 
And  except  thefe  days  fhould  be  f tor  te  tied,  there 
fhould  no  flefi  be  faved ;  but,  for  the  deft's  fake, 
whom  I  have  chofen,  thefe  days  Jhall  be  fhortened ; 
Ye  that  make  mention  of  the  Lord ,  then,  keep  not 
filence,  and  give  him  no  ref  until  he  make  Jerufa- 
lem  a  name  and  a  praife  in  the  earth — until  the 
right  eon  fiefs  thereof  go  forth  as  brightnefs,  and  the 
falvation  thereof  as  a  lamp  that  burnetii. 

7.  Laftly ;  have  we  rqafon  to  apprehend,  that 
there  is  a  period  of  unufual  degeneracy  and 
Wickednefs  foon  to  be  paffed  through  ?  Let  us 
look  forward  to  it  with  a  firm  faith,  that  bettei1 


times,  and  a  glorious  difplay  of  divine  power  and 
grace  will  immediately  fucceed.  Though  for  row 
endure  for  a  night ,  joy  will  come  in  the  morning . 
Though  infidelity,  profanenefs,  moral  diforder, 
and  political  convulfion,  may  have  their  day; 
yet  we  have  no  reafon  to  he  difcouraged.  Their 
time  will  be  fhort.  Their  triumph  will  foon  be 
over.  He  who  has  the  government  upon  his 
Jfioulder ,  will  fpeedily  interfere  to  deftroy  the  in¬ 
ventions,  and  the  oppofition  of  his  enemies,  and 
to  eftablifh  the  univerfal  reign  of  righteoufnefs 
and  peace  on  the  earth. 

Be  not  difmayed,  then,  believer  1  Your  caufe 
is  good.  Your  Redeemer  is  almighty.  And 
his  faithfulnefs  will  never  fail.  Look  through 
the  gloom,  and  fee  beyond  thofe  intervening 
clouds,  the  Sun  of  righteoufnefs  riling,  to  fhed 
upon  the  earth  his  meridian  glory.  See  peace, 
love,  and  truth,  attending  him  with  fmiles,  and 
Jiaftening  to  adorn  “  the  bleft  Immanuel’s  gentle 
reign  1”  Every  inftance,  therefore,  in  which  the 
infidel  opens  his  mouth  in  blafphemy,  fhould 
confirm  your  faith,  as  it  is  a  teflimony  that  the 
fcriptures  are  fulfilling.  Every  fymptom  of 
growing  degeneracy  fhould  encourage  rather 
than  difpirit  you,  as  it  is  a  kind  of  pledge  that 
God  is  carrying  on  his  work  of  grace.  Every  po- 


46 


I 

Jitical  convulfion  fliouldlead  you  to  fix  the  eye  of 
faith  more  intently  upon  that  glorious  king¬ 
dom,  where  no  party  fpirit  fhall  ever  prevail,  and 
into  which  no  diforder,  violence,  or  fchifm,  fhall 
ever  intrude.  Every  weapon  that  is  formed 
againft  the  Redeemer’s  interefl  fliould  lead  you 
to  buckle  on  your  harnefs  with  new  ardour,  and 
with  increafing  confidence;  affured,  that  in  a 
little  while,  he  will  make  his  people  conquerors , 
and  more  than  conquerors . 

Finally ,  my  brethren ,  be Jlrong  in  the  Lord ,  and 
in  the  power  of  his  might.  Be  not  weary  in  well 
doing  for  in  due  feafon ,  ye  fiall  reap  if  ye  faint 
not .  But  be  fiedfajl ,  unmoveable ,  always  abound¬ 
ing  in  the  work  of  the  Lor d s  for af much  as  ye  know 
that  your  labour  fhall  not  be  in  vain  in  the  Lord . 
In  a  little  while ,  he  that  fhall  come,  will  come ,  and 
will  not  tarry.  Come,  Lord  Jefus  !  come  quickly — > 
even  fo  come ,  Lord  Jefus !  Amen. 


THE  END. 


